Demijohn-crate.



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PATBNTED MAR. Z4, 1903.

J. J. CLIFFORD.

DBMIJOHN GRA'IE.y

Arruoulor FILED MAB, 28.1902'.

THE MORRIS PETERS to" PHQTO'LIYEOU W-SHUGTN, DUC.

-AUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. CLIFFORD, OF GREEN'ISLAND, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES J. CLIFFORD da CO., OF GREEN ISLAND, NEW YORK, A FIRM.

DEIVIIJOHN-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,649, dated March 24;., 1903.

Application filed March 28, 1902. Serial Noy 100,408. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES J. CLIFFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Green Island, county of Albany, andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DemijohnFCrates, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to such improvements; and it consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures.v

Figure l of the drawings is a top plan view of my improved demijohn-crate, showing a demijohn secured therein. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken diagonally of the crate upon the broken line 2 2 in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is aview in perspective of my improved buer detached.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and eflicient buffer for demijohn-crates and the like and to secure the demijohn within the crate.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the frame of the crate, preferably of rectangular form, with sides of equal dimensions and provided with triangular corner-posts 2, setinto the angles of the frame inA the usual manner. My improved buffers are mounted upon these corner-posts in position to engage the sides of a demijohn 3, contained Within the crate. These buerscomprise, preferably, each a strip 4, of hickory or other tough and resilient wood, bent to bow form by having its ends 5 bent back parallel with the body of the strip, forming upper and lower bends or loops 6. The ends of the buffer-strip are provided with apertures 7, adapted to receive a key 8, passed therethrough and through a similar aperture in thecorner-post 2, whereby the buer is secured to said post. The parts are so arranged that the space between two diagonally-opposed buffers is somewhat less than the diameter of the demijohn, so that when the demijohn is inserted in the crate between the buffers the latter are compressed and forced apart` by the demijohn, causing them to bearrwi-th more or less friction upon the sides of the demijohn, holding the latter securely in place, as well as protecting the same from sudden shocks. The corner-posts are preferably cut away at their upper and lower ends opposite the bends 6 in the buffer-strips to form rocker-seats El for the attaching ends of the strips, whereby a consid- 6o erabl'e yielding movement of the buffer is permitted. A i

While I prefer to use hickory or other tough wood for the buffer-strips, they maybe made of any strong resilient material.

The demijohn is further heldin place in the crate by meansof a strap formed of a single piece of wire bent double and having the bend 10 therein, forming a hinge connection with the upper bend or loop 6 of one of the 7o buffer-strips and provided with iutroverted hook-terminals 11, adapted to detachably interlock with the upper bend or loop 6 in the diagonallyoppositebuer-strip. Inapplying the strap to the crated demijohn the branches of the double wire are crossed at l2 between the neck of the dernijohn and one of thc connecting-baers and at 13 between the neck of the demijohn and the other connecting-buffer, being thus caused to closely embrace be- 8o tween their middle portions the neck of the demijohn and after the hooks 1l are fastened effectually preventing the escape of the demijohn from the crate, even though inverted. When the two diagonally opposite buffers are connected by means of the wire strap passing above the body-of the demijohn, any movement of the deinijohn outwardly would, by forcingoutwardly the engaged middle portion of the wire strap, cause the strap-con- 9o nected buffers to be drawn toward each other to more tightly engage the interposed demijohn to prevent further movement of the same.

By providing the several corner-posts with an u pwardly and outwardly retreating rockerseat 9 and a loose connection between the retroverted end of the buffer-strip and the corner-post, as by the key 8, the retroverted end of the strip is permitted to rock upon the rocker-seat to allow the upper end of the bufroo fer to yield more readily for the insertion of the bottle, while after the bottle is seated in vIO . upon said rocker-seat; and a loose connection between said retroverted end of the bufferstrip and said corner-post adapted to permit rocking movement of one of said parts on the other, substantially as described.

2. In a demijohn-crate, the combination with the crate-frame, of a locking-strap comprising a piece of wire bent double forming at the bend a hinge connection with the frame, and having hook-shaped terminalsl adapted to form a detachable connection with said frame on the opposite side of the crate, the branches of said doubled Wire being adapted to closely embrace the neck and overhang the body of a demijohn contained within the crate, substantially as described.

3. In a demijohn-crate, the combination with the crate-fran1e open at one end; of buffers oppositely disposed within said frame and capable of movement toward and from each other; Aand a strap connection between said buffers extending across the open end of the frame, and adapted to overhang the body of a demijohn conned between the strap-connected bulers, substantially as described.

In testiinony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of March, 1902.

JAMES J. CLIFFORD.

Witnesses:

'FRANK C. CURTIS, E. M. OREILLY. 

